President Assad has visited the Babr Amr district of Homs. Credit: Reuters

On Tuesday President Assad toured the Babr Amr neighbourhood of Homs, a site of fierce fighting between the Syrian army and the rebels.

Despite Syria agreeing to accept the UN peace plan, diplomats said they would wait for actions from the Assad regime.

Foreign Minister William Hague said he would be watching Syria with a "skeptical eye" and only actions would convince him the Assad regime was committed to peace.

Speaking to reporters in Beijing after meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, Kofi Annan said China had offered to work with him and the U.N. Security Council to ensure the U.N. plan for Syria was implemented.

The UN's Middle East envoy has told the UN Security Council more than 9,000 civilians have died in the conflict in Syria.